Miho Nakano in Princess From the Moon (Kon Ichikawa, 1987)
Cast: Toshiro Mifune, Ayako Wakao, Yasuko Sawaguchi, Koji Ishizaka, Fujio Takita, Jun Hamamura. Screenplay: Shin’ya Hidaka, Kon Ichikawa, Mitsutoshi Ishigama, Ryuzo Kikushima, based on a story by Shikibu Murasaki. Cinematography: Setsuo Kobayashi. Film editing: Chizuko Osada. Music: Kensaku Tanikawa.
In eighth-century Japan, a man (Toshiro Mifune) and his wife (Ayako Wakao) are mourning the death of their 5-year-old daughter, Kaya. They live beside a forest of bamboo, whose stalks the man cuts and turns into baskets and other artifacts, which he sells to make a living. One night they see a bright light and their hut is shaken by a huge tremor. The next morning, when the man goes out to investigate he finds near his daughter's grave a large egg-shaped object. It begins to crack open and as he watches, a baby crawls from it and begins to grow rapidly until it assumes the form of his dead child (Miho Nakano). The man and his wife raise the girl as their daughter, Kaya, and discover that the egg-shaped object from which she emerged is pure gold, so they become rich enough to move into a large house. Kaya swiftly grows into a young woman (Yasuko Sawaguchi) whose beauty attracts high-born suitors. But she has brought with her a small crystal ball that eventually reveals her secret: She is from the moon, the sole survivor when the ship that was carrying her crashed. To ward off her suitors, she proposes impossible tasks to win her hand. And then the ball reveals that at the next full moon, a ship will arrive to carry her home. The entire realm has fallen in love with Kaya, and on the night of the full moon, troops are stationed about the house to shoot down any arriving ships. Up to this point, Kon Ichikawa's Princess From the Moon has been a charmingly magical fantasy film, a smart adaptation of an ancient Japanese folktale, The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter, with beautiful sets by Shinobu Muraki, costumes by Emi Wada, and color cinematography by Setsuo Kobayashi. But suddenly Ichikawa imposes on the setting a spaceship out of Close Encounters of the Third Kind (Steven Spielberg, 1977), and Kaya is drawn up into it in flowing robes and accompanied by what appear to be glowing cherubs, an image that recalls Renaissance paintings of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, like this one by Rubens:
It's a startling shift in tone and technique, to say the least, especially when compounded by the insertion of a pop song, "Stay With Me," by Peter Cetera behind the end credits. Critics, too, were jarred by the overlaying of a sci-fi trope on a traditional tale, but audiences seemed to like it. A somewhat more traditional version of the story, The Tale of the Princess Kagya (Isao Takahata, 2013), was produced by Studio Ghibli and was nominated for the animated feature Oscar.
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"Stardust Waltz"
First day of Murder Drones week, hosted by @space-dem0n. I chose the prompt "stars".
I've wanted to draw N and Uzi dancing in space ever since I saw the closing scene of episode seven. Given the prompt and my current favorite song, I had to try.
Here's the song that largely sparked this drawing, "So Much (for) Stardust" by Fall Out Boy.
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A love that will last within your heart
✨ COMMISSION FOR @pluck-heartstrings ✨
The beautiful Princess of Castle Faz swept off into the stars with Eclipse, the Goblin King. AAAAHHHHH pluck, this was such a delight to work on, thank you so so so much for trusting me with your lovely Princess and pairing her with my Goblin King Eclipse!!!!!
BONUS SKETCH FT GRUMPY JESTER ATTENDANTS SUNS AND MOON
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Transfem Book Recs for International Women's Day
Happy International Women's Day! Here are some transfem book recommendations for you:
Book Titles:
Light from Uncommon Stars by Ryka Aoki
Cheer Up: Love and Pompoms by Crystal Frasier
Joy, to the World by Kai Shappley and Lisa Bunker
A Lady for a Duke by Alexis Hall
Tell Me I'm Worthless by Alison Rumfitt
Just Happy To Be Here by Naomi Kanakia
Me and My Dysphoria Monster by Laura Kate Dale and Hui Qing Ang
Pet by Akwaeke Emezi
For the Love of April French by Penny Aimes
Fake It by Lily Seabrooke
Detransition, Baby by Torrey Peters
Fierce Femmes And Notorious Liars by Kai Cheng Thom
Princess of the Pomegranate Moon by Emily Wynne
Her Majesty’s Royal Coven by Juno Dawson
The Ojja-Wojja by Magdalene Visaggio and Jenn St-Onge
Galaxy: The Prettiest Star by Jadzia Axelrod and Jess Taylor
Into the Gray by Margaret Killjoy
Little Blue Encyclopedia (for Vivian) by Hazel Jane Plante
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A:tLA rare pairings
"I really liked that crazy dance you were doing."
"It's a part of who we are."
"I'll always be with you."
"Helmet?"
"Close your eyes, and don't peek."
Here are some thoughts about shipping
If you feel like it you can support me on my Ko-fi.
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I had the insane thought last night that Vanoé reminds me of Serenity and Endymion.
The Princess of the Moon falling in love with the Prince of Earth?? The doomed romance?? They literally die for each other, get reincarnated, and find each other again?? I can't.
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